Eric,
The concern I think would be porosity of the gold when below 0.2 um (8
microinches). If there are any reliability issues, especially if extreme
environments are involved, I would think it would be from too thin a
gold finish. Even in ZIF there is some interference fit of mating
connectors and the reduction of the thinner gold plating could cause
issues.
I would recommend further discussion with your reliability team to see
if you could live with the reduced gold prior to shifting to the lower
cost class 1 parts.
Hope it helps,
FNK

Frank N Kimmey CID+
Manager - PCB Design
Global Product Development
Powerwave Technologies Inc
Mobile 916-670-0645
-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Eric Bonatti
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 8:23 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] IPC-6013 final finish Class 1 or class 2 [FLEX]

Hello tech-netters,
I have a question about design of flex circuit connections and circuit
reliability:

We currently specify IPC-6013 class 2 final finish which gives us gold
plating of 0.8uM (or about 30microinches) thick.  On the contact side
however, the plating thickness is 0.15uM (or about 6microinches).
Similar zero insertion force sockets from other vendors have similar
plating thickness.  This leads me to believe that since most if not all
of the available ZIF sockets have this thin flash plating it must be
acceptable for most commercial applications.  Does this mean that the
class 2 finish we specify is not necessary?  Could we specify IPC-6013
class 1 final finish (4um or 15micro inch) and not give up reliability?

Any information you could give me on this topic will be appreciated.

Regards,

Eric Bonatti, C.I.D.+
EDA Group Leader
Phone: +1 905 812 6200 xt.3412
Fax: +1 905 812 6301
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
 
Psion Teklogix Inc.
2100 Meadowvale Boulevard, 
Mississauga, ON, L5N 7J9, Canada

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